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Ontario Immigration: Employer-Led Draws Invite Foreign Workers & Students
Ontario Immigration: Employer-Led Draws Invite Foreign Workers & Students
Ontario Invites Foreign Workers and International Students in Employer-Led OINP Draws
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held five draws on August 28, 2025, issuing a total of 468 invitations to apply (ITAs). These invitations went to foreign workers and international students with job offers in Northern Ontario, as well as candidates qualifying under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot.
All invited candidates had submitted their profiles between July 2, 2025, and August 28, 2025.
Focus on Northern Ontario
Ontario issued invitations under both the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker and International Student streams. To be eligible, candidates needed:
A valid job offer in Northern Ontario (covering Muskoka, Haliburton, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Manitoulin, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Timiskaming, Cochrane, Algoma, Thunder Bay, Rainy River, and Kenora).
Residency in Canada at the time of application.
A qualifying occupation listed under specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes.
A wide range of occupations were targeted, including healthcare professionals, engineers, IT specialists, human resources experts, educators, skilled trades workers, and technicians.
REDI Pilot Invitations
In addition, Ontario issued 138 targeted ITAs under the REDI pilot. This one-year initiative, running until December 31, 2025, provides a pathway to permanent residence for candidates with job offers in the communities of Lambton, Lanark, and Leeds and Grenville.
Invitations were issued under three streams:
Foreign Worker stream (minimum score: 45)
International Student stream (minimum score: 68)
In-Demand Skills stream (minimum score: 34)
Candidates in the In-Demand Skills stream required job offers in occupations such as home support workers, material handlers, construction labourers, farm machinery operators, machine operators in food and beverage processing, electronics assemblers, and labourers in mineral processing.
Employer-Led Expression of Interest (EOI) System
These draws also reflect a significant update to Ontario’s OINP process. Since July 2, 2025, applications for job offer approval under Employer Job Offer streams must be submitted directly through the Employer Portal.
This marks a shift from an applicant-led system to an employer-led process. Only candidates whose employers filed job offers through the portal and registered a valid Expression of Interest were considered in the August 28 draws. Candidates with EOIs submitted before July 2 are now required to coordinate with their employers to re-initiate their applications.
Why This Matters?
The August 28 draws highlight Ontario’s commitment to attracting talent for regional growth and labour market needs. By focusing on both Northern Ontario and REDI pilot regions, the province continues to strengthen its workforce while offering international students and foreign workers valuable pathways to permanent residency.
For those considering Ontario as their immigration destination, these results underscore the importance of securing a valid employer-backed job offer and ensuring your employer is aligned with the new OINP application system.
